Recently promoted RU Tier Leader
Lunala abused her powers and privileges to force my hand to write predictions with the threat of disqualifying me from this very tour by Round 2 if I didn't comply. So, let's get started with some unqualified predictions!
TDK (SS) vs
Santu (
ORAS, SM)
Santu won the last RU Classic, so I'm giving him the edge in the old gens. TDK did however have the second-best record (6-2) in this bo3 format last RUPL, so really any tier is a tossup with ORAS slightly tilted towards Santu, as he did make finals of ORAS cup and only lost to act.
Bouff vs
shiloh
I'm not really sure how either particularly stacks up to each other in a given tier, but I do know for sure that shiloh went 5-2 in a stacked bo3 pool in RUPL VIII.
col49 vs
Eternal Spirit
I'm not going to pretend I've anything to add.
Ajna (
ORAS, SM) vs Alpha Rabbit (SS)
Ajna is one of the best ORAS players and I'm not aware of rabbit playing it much. I think he'll comfortably take SM too, but I don't doubt rabbit can win it. Alpha Rabbit has been more active in SS, which can give him the edge over Ajna to start off with a g1 win.
eifo (
SS, ORAS) vs Bebo (SM)
Bebo in SS... yeah, eifo is winning g1. SM is another story for Bebo and eifo didn't have his best tour last time he played SM going 1-3. I think eifo will take ORAS and with that the win, as I don't think Bebo plays it at all unlike eifo.
lax (
SS, SM) vs Garay oak (
ORAS)
I think both bolded tiers are pretty clear-cut for each player. Personally, I've only seen lax play SM so I'll have to give it to him. I don't have much to say other than both are strong players and it's not a match to miss.
robjr vs
Punny (ORAS, SS)
robjr did end up with the worst record in bo3 last RUPL (2-5), while Punny was on the opposite side with an 8-2 record with robjr as one of his wins. But, robjr has had a lot of good runs in SS and if he manages to clutch g1, he could carry the momentum to a win. Historically though, he isn't favored.
EviGaro (ORAS) vs Finchinator (SM)
I don't have much to say, Evi HO never fails in ORAS and SM is a tier in which Finch isn't cursed and I don't think his 43-22 record in RU team tours comes from BW. For SS, I'm just not sure of what to go off on.
odr (SM) vs
TheFranklin (SS)
A personal highlight of mine, as I think it'll be a close one and could swing either way. Both are strong players in SS and SM with odr favored in SM and arce in the former. odr has more recent tour experience with SM, but Franklin did win a ssnl when it was current gen. SS is even closer, but my gut tells me Franklin will win out and he's had amazing records in every team tour and in SCL this gen and won the latest ssnl. I have no clue how either square up in ORAS, so it'll come down to whoever pilots and plays drawn-out games the best. I'll have to bold someone, so I'll let my bias show and pick TheFranklin here.
sensei axew (
SS) vs
Lunala (
ORAS, SM)
sensei won circuit playoffs and as of now, Luna doesn't seem too keen on SS. For ORAS, I'll go with the ORAS cup winner. I think Luna will take SM, as it's her strongest tier and sensei's last showing in SM wasn't any spectacular going 2-2, though he has rapidly improved as a player since then.
lighthouses vs Omfuga
I don't really have anything to go off when it comes to Omfuga in RU and diogo is experienced with each gen and the format as he played it in RUPL VIII, so I'll leave it at that
Star (
SS, ORAS) vs atomicllamas
Star has been super consistent with SS, so I don't it'll end here, and he also finished with a 6-1 record in ORAS last RUPL. Obviously, llamas is well-versed in ORAS too, so there are no guarantees (never is with mons). For SM, I'm not sure how well either play but Star can seemingly pick up any tier and play it at a high level, so I don't think he'll struggle there.
Feliburn (
SM, SS) vs Charmflash (
ORAS)
I have never seen Charmflash play ORAS nor do I know whenever the last time, if ever, he played it but I do know for a fact that I have never bear witness to Feliburn winning a single game of Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire RarelyUsed. Although, I've heard Feli has so called "blacklisted" teams. Hopefully, whatever those are, are enough to break the losing streak. Doubtful. Luckily, I think Feli will clutch the win in SM and SS despite his retire main status but one never knows what Charmflash will bring, then again Bright Powder is banned (not in SM...).
Mac3 (
SS, SM) vs Kushalos (
ORAS)
While Mac3 isn't super active anymore, as he's no longer harassing me with constant challenges on ps (please come back, I miss you so much), but he's still building and playing, and I haven't seen much of Kushalos in SS. I don't think the short-lived ORAS main will stand much of a chance against Kushalos in ORAS though. Mac3 was a ladder fiend during SM as well and I played him in the last SM cup, so I know he must have a backlog of jank which can give him the upper hand.
These are all great matchups and I can't wait to watch each one and the rest of the tour (and play for 2 rounds).